This blog is my public diary of experiences that I've had as I become increasingly involved in the area of Kensington, Pa. I am including experiences that I am having as I sit down, one on one, with homeless people who are dealing with Substance Use Disorder.
All Names have been changed and, occasionally, I share a story using the opposite pronoun (he/she him/her), as an additional way to assure privacy.

Please Know...

As I come to know these fine people, they share with me more of their personal and sensitive stories. Their collective story is what I am trying to share with you as my way of breaking the stereotypical beliefs that exist. "Blog names" have occasionally been given to me by the person whose story I am telling. Names are never their actual names and wherever I can do so, I might use the opposite pronoun (his/her, etc.) just to help increase their privacy.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Titles and Testimonies

Dr. Tony Campolo has a sermon that he calls " Titles and Testimonies." It's a powerful
message about people from the Bible who had impressive titles such as king,
queen, etc and yet did not necessarily have an impressive testimony. Dr. Campolo compares these impressively
titled people with less titled individuals who made a powerful difference in the
lives of those around them.

His message has come to my mind during this time of physical isolation
from people in my life and has taken a blog inspiring twist.

As I've sat here alone in my apartment, I've called the people closest
to me and yet not ever been called back by them.[1]There are two non-relative exceptions to this
sad reality which brought Dr. Campolo's message to mind.

These two people have a title thrust upon them by circumstances beyond
most of their control.They would rather
not have this title nor its derivatives. It's a title that is used to entrap them
within their own minds and society's beliefs of them as being "less
than" or "not worthy of" and more.It's a title most often times heard as one of
shame and disgrace and sin.

And yet, day after day during these weeks of isolation, each one calls
or texts with a simple "How r u?" or a detailed story of what's
happening in their lives and asks me about what's happening in mine.

It's how we earn our money that is our societal 'title.'It is not who we are.

Each and every one of us is a human being who has been made in the
image of God and who is worthy of the highest dignity, honor, respect, and
love.That's our actual and factual
title AND testimony.

Due in very large part to the incompetence of the Medicaid system to provide the care that they need and deserve and want as they try to find the end of their dark tunnel of entrapment in their Substance Use Disorder, these two people who contact me multiple times throughout each day bear
their societal forced title.

On top of that societal violation, too many members of the nursing and medical
community routinely violate the Hippocratic oath upon which they individually swore
or affirmed their career.

The end result for these two blog inspiring people is that they are left feeling trapped
by walls of apathy and indifference, incompetence and loathing by the highly
titled people who could make a positive difference in their lives.

These two people of whom I speak in this blog will read this. (One of them has texted me "What's Up?" as I've been writing this.) I apologize to each of you in advance for
putting in print the titles that have been forced upon you by the incompetence of
our society and the highly titled people therein.

Society too often titles you "prostitute" and more.I title you "Friend" because of your testimony, that of reaching out beyond yourself.

Far more importantly than what I title you, God, the creator of
everything that has ever been, is and will be, calls you God's child: